Causes of all traumatic work related deaths according to type of ship in British merchant shipping, 1976–2002
| Cause of death | Coastal ships | Deep sea ships | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger ferry | Tanker* | General cargo* | Tug | Offshore sector | Other | Passenger ship | Tanker* | General cargo* | Bulk carrier | Container ship* | Royal Forces Auxiliary | Other | (Total) | |
| *Roll-on roll-off cargo and refrigerated cargo ships have been included with general cargo ships. Ships in coastal trades are defined as under 2000 gross tonnage, and those in deep sea trades as 2000 gross tonnage or over. | ||||||||||||||
| Accidents | ||||||||||||||
| Maritime disasters | ||||||||||||||
| Foundered | 38 | 24 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 42 | (110) | |||||||
| Collision | 4 | 5 | (9) | |||||||||||
| Fire or explosion | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 12 | 4 | 8 | (57) | |||||
| Occupational accidents | ||||||||||||||
| Asphyxiated in holds | 1 | 9 | 8 | 2 | (20) | |||||||||
| Asphyxiated in the engine room | 4 | 5 | 1 | (10) | ||||||||||
| Falls overboard | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 4 | (35) | |||
| Falls down or inside holds | 3 | 6 | 14 | 6 | 1 | (30) | ||||||||
| Other falls on board | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | (19) | ||||||
| Struck by heavy seas on deck | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | (17) | |||||||
| Struck by mooring and towing ropes | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | (18) | |||||
| Struck by other moving objects | 7 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | (52) | |
| Other occupational accidents | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | (24) | |
| Off-duty accidents | ||||||||||||||
| Falls into docks—returning to ship | 4 | 30 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 4 | (77) | |||
| Falls overboard | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | (7) | ||||||||
| Falls on board | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | (15) | ||||
| Traffic related accidents ashore | 4 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | (34) | |||
| Swimming and diving accidents | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | (14) | |||||
| Other off-duty accidents | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | (16) | ||
| Homicide | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | (17) | |||||
| Suicide | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 | (55) | |
| Drug and alcohol intoxication | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | (14) | ||||
| Unknown circumstances | ||||||||||||||
| Drowned | 4 | 4 | 34 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | (91) | |
| Missing | 5 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 2 | (87) | |
| Other | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | (7) | |||||||
| Total | 72 | 25 | 142 | 16 | 52 | 29 | 33 | 116 | 114 | 146 | 23 | 37 | 30 | (835) |